20 Minutes
by theladyinblue
Summary: 20 minutes can change everything.  Rachel Berry learns that the hard way one terrifying day at school.


20 Minutes

By: theladyinblue

A/N I don't own Glee. If I did, things would be a wee bit different between Rachel and Shelby.

10:00 am

Shelby Corcoran sighed as she sipped her coffee in the teachers lounge. Her third period English class was in the middle of a test so she had the time to slip out and grab a cup of coffee. The teachers lounge was mostly empty this time of day since it was too late for breakfast but too early for lunch yet. Shelby was lost in her thoughts: about Beth and all the fun things that they were going to do that weekend, about trying to forge some kind of relationship with Rachel.

10:05

Shelby snaps back into reality when she hears the announcement over the school's P.A system.

" Mr. Smith Please report to the office"

Instantly, she recognizes that phrase. It's the phrase that they use to put the school into lock down. But Shelby was not aware of any drills being scheduled for today. She races across the hall to get her class into lock down. After a quick headcount, the curtains are pulled down and doors locked. Shelby remains outside her class room to look out for any students who may be in the halls. Suddenly, she hears gunshots.

10:10

As the gunshots ring out, Shelby sees two girls walking down the hall toward her room. One she recognizes as Tina Cohen Chang and the other is Rachel. Her Rachel. The gunshots are getting closer and closer. Shelby can hear screams from the students and also from some of the staff. She's never been this terrified in her entire life. Then before she knows it, the gunman is heading toward Rachel and Tina. A gunshot rings out and Tina falls to the ground clutching her shoulder. She manages to crawl into the unlocked teachers lounge and hide under a table. Meanwhile Rachel is still out in the hall. The girl is terrified, her feet frozen to the ground. Suddenly, the gun is pointed at Rachel. Shelby darts toward Rachel, adrenaline having fully taken over. She jumps between the gunman and her daughter and shields the girl with her own body. Shots ring out and a scream can be heard coming from Rachel.

10:20

Its over as quickly as it started. The police swarm the school and capture the deranged gunman. Meanwhile in the hallway, Rachel is slowly opening her eyes. She sees that her mother is still lying over her, shielding her. Rachel slowly and gently rolls her mother off of her and checks out the damage. What she sees sickens her. Her mother is lying on the ground , pale as a sheet and covered in her own blood. Quickly, Rachel checks for a pulse and finds a very weak one. She knows she does not have much time to get help. Luckily, the paramedics are already inside the school, checking for victims. They spot Shelby and quickly begin working on her. As she lies on the gurney, hovering between life and death, Shelby turns to the daughter who she signed away all those years ago, the daughter who was so close to her but yet so far away. She looks at her with her big green eyes and smiles as she says

" I never stopped loving you"

Rachel smiles as tears fill her eyes.

" I love you too mom"

Shelby smiles weakly. _Mom. Her baby girl finally called her mom_. She takes a sharp breath and everything goes black.

Later that day...

Rachel is still in the hospital waiting room with her dads. They were annoyed at first that Shelby had broken the contract but after they found out that Shelby had saved their daughter's life, all was forgiven. Shelby was in emergency surgery right now and the doctors were not saying anything yet. Finally, someone came out and asked if there was anyone waiting on a Shelby Corcoran.

" yes I am her daughter." said Rachel

" we are sorry to have to tell you but Ms. Corcoran died on the operating table. There was simply too much blood loss to save her"

Rachel simply broke down tears. Just as quickly as she finally got the mother she always wanted, she'd lost her. And it all happened in 20 terrifying minutes.

* * *

><p>So...how did I do into my first GLEE fanfic? good? bad? please review!<p> 


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